(no subject)

[cheekbones3]

Right then folks. I'm severely creatively stifled. I want to go into research, or a job that has similar content and feel, and because my first degree is crap, I'm scuppered at almost all turns, even though I have an MSc. I fell into the trap of going straight from school to uni, and only in the last few years have I actually been in the proper frame of mind for study.

Time for your ideas: Do you reckon it would be worth me getting a decent BSc from scratch, to then get me onto a funded PhD in two or three years? I reckon I could get an honours degree in quick time, especially if I found a course that let me defer first year, or at least do it in my own time. Otherwise, I could just get a job (eventually) and be stuck doing stuff that isn't bad, but isn't really what I want to do. Either way, I think I'll be doing crappy work for the next year at least to pay for all these silly ideas...your thoughts are welcome anyway.

In other news, I reckon the new Kate Bush single is pretty good, now I've heard it a few times.

Also, I'll be down south until Saturday or maybe Sunday (Saturday if I can be arsed getting back to listen to the North Queensland v Tigers NRL grand final via the web on Sunday morning), so I'll see you all whenever.

Furthermore, I'm planning to go to see Scotland v Ireland in the RL Nations Cup on the 23rd of October with bunnyphone if anyone else fancies joining us.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/__whitetrash__/]

Do what you really want to do.
You KNOW which one's right for you and from the way you've written your the entry, I think everyone else does to.

[lilitufire.livejournal.com]

I think you should approach it a different way. Look at what you'd really like to do and then look at how to get there. The answer might not be down the route of qualifications.

[bellabex.livejournal.com]

You've only got one life to live. Live it doing something that fascinates and challenges you, even if you have to go through some crappy stuff to get there.

But like lilitufire says, check out any sneaky ways route the qualifications route if you possibly can!

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

Aye, but I also think it could be a long way to go about things!

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

Aye that's true, that's what I've been planning awhile, to just get into a vaguely relevant job, and work my way towards my goals from there. Trouble is, I don't really quite have the qualifications for what I really want to do at the moment, and I feel I could mess about for years and not get any nearer to the right career.

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much what I'm thinking, and to hell with career path! Ah we'll see what happens in the next few weeks though...I think that could be crucial!

If you don't want to read this, just read the last line.

[kymara.livejournal.com]

Ignore this advice if you've tried everywhere in the country, but isn't it worth persevering with looking for funded PhD places based on what you've already got? You're science, right, so you'll be eligble for EPSRC and PPARC - and then there's all the scottish awards like the Carnegie one and all that jazz. When I finally realised I wanted a PhD not a job a lot of the funded places in my area had gone already, so for those that were left I emailed my potential supervisors individually and got chatting to them. By the time it came to interview I already had that rapport with them, and the fact that I was enthusiastic about research meant my not caring much about exams didn't matter anymore. Like wise I've got a friend here at HW who got a third in his BSc, but a first/distinction in his masters - and that's what they cared about for getting the funding - the good masters kind of made up for the 3rd on their points scale.

So yeah I could sum it all up as: keep trying to get a PhD on what you've got, before committing yourself to three years of a second bachelors. Just my two pence.

Re: If you don't want to read this, just read the last line.

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

Well I've been trying for a while to get on a PhD, and NERC funding just isn't open to me. As for EPSRC, I think that's possible, and I've not tried for any PPARC courses, as that's not what I'm looking for these days. Chatting to the relevant academic might be an idea though, not sure why I didn't do that before enough. Think I'll fire off an e-mail about the one I applied for yesterday!

Thanks.

Re: If you don't want to read this, just read the last line.

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

Well I've just fired off an e-mail to the prof basically describing my interests, and trying to get across my enthusiasm! It might start a bit of dialogue at least...

[lwilson.livejournal.com]

From what little I know, I reckon it's not worth doing another BSc unless it's in a significantly differently different field; if there's too much overlap, people might not take it seriously. I did an MSc to try and atone for my BSc, and that kind of worked for two reasons: i) Because I did an industrial project that was not directly relevant, but not too far removed(ii) I'm doing applied optics where most people go straight into industry (it pays better).

From talking to the academics here, I think that most people looking for PhD students would rather have someone who's enthusiastic, and with experience in practical stuff (either lab experience, orprogramming experience, or both) but little background. Fact is that everyone who starts a PhD (especially the folks who let it be widely known that they got some oxbridge double first) quickly learns that they really don't know anything at all. Especially people with three year BSc degrees.

What do you actually want to do? There's a christmas entry for PhD students most places. I can keep my ear to the ground around here to see if there's anything coming up.

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

Well I got an ordinary first degree in physics, the a masters in stats, and I'm looking to do some sort of course in the earth sciences, possibly from a more numerical angle, or something involving modelling, as I did that in my dissertation.

I think I find the hardest thing is getting across my enthusiasm, as well as funding problems due to my first degree. The help is much appreciated though! I did e-mail a couple of people about courses at Edinburgh, but they appeared to have offers pending already.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_ladyp_/]

Speculative approach.

Lots of groups have funding that they can allocate to a student but they don't advertise it.

[imagesandwords.livejournal.com]

Ummm.

I'm not offering sympathy, instead have a hell of a lot of *empathy*.

Re: If you don't want to read this, just read the last line.

[xquiq.livejournal.com]

Have you considered other routes to PhD funding? Sometimes if there's an opening in a department and you have an interesting enough idea you can get a paid post and do your PhD at the same time?

Of course that does rather depend on you having a relevant qualification in the first place. I'm not clear on whether you're wanting to pursue something you've done before or something completely different.

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

Hmm that's a thought. Cheers!

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

Indeed! Cheers :)

Re: If you don't want to read this, just read the last line.

[cheekbones3.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure at all about the whole "I've got a great idea" way into studying, I suppose mainly because I don't have one. I usually just chase projects which are already proposed.

I'm looking at working in an area which isn't really covered by what I've studied before, but which I've touched on with project work, so I'm sort of trying to demonstrate relevant skills and interests which don't show strongly on paper.